Orville H. Whitmore of Damascus, Pa., a retired dairy farmer and a lifelong area resident, died Sunday, December 11, 2005, at the Ellen Memorial Health Care Center in Honesdale, Pa. He was 87 years of age.
The son of the late Thomas and Bessie Welsh Whitmore, he was born November 22, 1918, in Damascus, Pa. He was the widower of Elva Baldwin Whitmore who died in January of 1986 as the result of injuries sustained when their home burned.
He is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Shirley and Ed Spalding of Largo, Fla., and Beverly and Lester Hillriegel of Damascus, Pa, with whom he resided; a son and daughter-in-law, Arthur and Kay Whitmore of Damascus, Pa.; a daughter-in-law, Linda Whitmore of Damascus, Pa.; 15 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; a great-great-grandson; and a brother and sister-in-law, Vincent and Vesta Whitmore of Tampa, Fla. He was predeceased by his oldest son Vernon, who died in November of 1992.
Friends may call at the Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home in Callicoon from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday with the Rev. Mary Bryant officiating.
Burial will be made in the Conklin Hill Cemetery in Damascus, Pa.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Damascus Volunteer Ambulance Corps or to the Damascus Community Center, both at Damascus, Pa. 18415.

Edna F. Wheat, 79
Ret. Waitress/Tel. Oper.

Edna F. Wheat of Northampton, Mass., a former waitress at the Miss Monticello Diner and also a longtime operator for the New York Telephone Company, died Wednesday, November 30, 2005, at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, Mass. She was 79 years of age.
The daughter of the late William J. and Ida Mae Coe Miller, she was born in Bethel. She was the widow of Burr W. Wheat who died in 1976.
A lifelong resident of Monticello , she grew up and was educated in White Lake and Monticello, graduating from Monticello High School.
Mrs. Wheat is survived by a daughter, Jody Wheat of Northampton, Mass.; and several nieces and nephews, including Cheryl Stanton, William Hendrickson, Gary Hendrickson and Sophia Sisco.
All services were private.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 419 E. Main St., Suite 307B, Middletown, N.Y. 10904.

Margaretha Van Hage
Ret. Teacher, 79

Margaretha F. Van Hage of Goshen, a retired school teacher of the Pine Island Schools in the Warwick Valley School District, and a longtime area resident, died Saturday, December 10, 2005, at the Arden Hill campus of the Orange Regional Medical Center in Goshen. She was 79 years of age.
The daughter of the late William and Grace Riepma Turksma, she was born April 14, 1926, in Holland. She was the widow of Nicholas Van Hage. Together they owned and labored on the Van Hage Dairy Farm.
Mrs. Van Hage was a member of St. John R.C. Church in Goshen, the Catholic Daughters of the Americas and the Warwick Valley Teachers Association.
She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Nicholas and Jan Van Hage of Goshen and William and Shari Van Hage of Monticello; eight grandchildren, Nicholas, Matthew, Peter and Elisabeth, Bryson and Brianna, and Kristen and William Jr.; and several nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass was offered Thursday at St. John R. C. Church in Goshen.
Burial was made in St. John Cemetery in Goshen.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research, Grand Central Station P.O. Box 4777, New York, N.Y. 10163.

George Semenetz, 81

George Semenetz of Jeffersonville and Flushing died Tuesday, December 13, 2005, at the Booth Memorial Hospital in Flushing. He was 81 years of age.
The son of the late Joseph and Mary Semenetz, he was born August 28, 1924, in Brooklyn. He was the widower of Virginia Semenetz.
A World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy, he was stationed in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Mr. Semenetz is survived by his wife, Gloria Semenetz, at home; three sons and daughters-in-law, George ad Blyth Semenetz of West Windsor, N.J., Gary and Lynn Semenetz of Whitestone and Gregg and Bridget Semenetz of Jeffersonville; two daughters and sons-in-law, Gail and Louis Calamari of Stamford, Conn., and Gena and Randy Grimm of Jeffersonville; a step-daughter, Maria Dufresne of Pomona; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Friends may call at the Martin A. Gleason Funeral Home, 149-20 Northern Blvd., Flushing, on Friday from 2-5 and 7-9 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at St. Andrew Avellino R.C. Church in Flushing on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

Doris B. A. Burns
Ret. Restaurateur, 88

Doris Barbara Albrecht Burns, a lifelong resident of Monticello and the former owner of Burns Bar & Grill in Monticello, died Monday December 12, 2005, in Hershey, Pa. She was 88 years of age.
The daughter of the late Herman and Pauline Schneider Albrecht, she was born October 19, 1917, in Monticello. She was the widow of Bruce Burns who died July 30, 2002.
After retirement, she and her husband moved to Florida in 1979 and then moved to Pennsylvania in 2000.
In a family statement, it was said, She will be missed dearly by all those who loved her.
Mrs. Burns is survived by three daughters, Sharon Murphy of Columbia, Md., Alice LeBlanc of Alburg, Vt., and Barbara Benton of Marietta, Ga.; two brothers, Fred Albrecht of White Lake and Eugene Albrecht of Jupiter, Fla.; a sister, Annette Lange of Hershey, Pa.; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Friends may call at the VanInwegen-Kenny Funeral Home, 401 Broadway, Monticello, on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.
Services will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home with Dr. John C. Kehoe of Alburg, Vt., officiating.
Burial will be made in the Rock Ridge Cemetery in Monticello.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Central Pennsylvania, P.O. Box 266, Enola, Pa. 17025-0266.

Lionel C. Postal, 70

Lionel Carl Postal of Loch Sheldrake died Monday, December 12, 2005, at the Seelig Division of the Catskill Regional Medical Center in Harris. He was 70 years of age.
The son of the late Martin and Frances Zwerdhey Postal, he was born December 22, 1934, in Brooklyn.
He is survived by a sister, Leah, of the Bronx; a nephew, Gary Hayman and his wife, Marge, of Hewlett; and his family and friends at New Hope Community.
Funeral services were held Wednesday at the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home in Woodbourne.
Interment was made in the Woodbourne Cemetery.

Ethel Goldblatt, 80
Artist/Bridge Player

Ethel K. Goldblatt of Monroe, an accomplished artist and renowned bridge player, died Friday, December 9, 2005. She was 80 years of age.
The daughter of the late Susana and Zigmond Koynock, she was born January 21, 1925, in Braznell, Pa.
In the rolling Pennsylvania hills, she developed a love for the beauty of nature and a reverence for life. Moving from her rural life to the city of Pittsburgh, she continued her education and met and married Dr. Jacob Goldblatt in 1945. She was employed by Heinz Corporation, Honus Wagner Company and Schubert Theatre.
Mrs. Goldblatt traveled with her husband, Major Jack Goldblatt, while he served in the U.S. Air Force. They moved to Monroe in 1954 where she lovingly raised her family. As an accomplished artist in watercolor, oil paintings and sculpture, she held memberships and offices in many professional art organizations, exhibited nationally in juried and invitational shows and galleries, and was the recipient of prestigious awards. Her art is sensitive and life-affirming, while embodying Ethels passion and reverence for life. Her work reflects her heart, soul and spirit.
She was also a natural athlete with a passion for skiing, swimming, hiking, tennis and especially golf. She won a West Point Championship and was the Monroe Country Club champion for many consecutive years. She placed a high value on education and knowledge, continuously furthering her studies. Mrs. Goldblatt remained active in duplicate bridge placing 64th in the 2004 World Bridge Federation pairs tournament. She was also an active member of the Monroe Temple of Liberal Judaism, and past president of the Monroe PTA.
She is survived by her husband, Dr. Jack Goldblatt of Monroe; a son, E. Michael Goldblatt and his life partner, Celia Kingsbury of Burlington, Vt; two daughters, Janis Goldblatt and her husband, Russell Sanders of Ft. Collins, Colo., and Donna Gillis and her husband, Hudson Gillis, of Loch Sheldrake; a granddaughter, Rachel Leilani Gillis of Boulder, Colo.; two step-grandchildren, Jennifer Sanders Cycoski and Craig Sanders; a sister, Margaret Costello, and a brother, William Koynock, both of Pennsylvania and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services were held on Tuesday at the Monroe Temple of Liberal Judaism, with Rabbi Garry Loeb officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, Orange Regional Medical Center at Goshen or to the organization of your choice.

Clare D. Shiells, 96

Clare D. Shiells of Frederick, Md., died Friday, November 18, 2005, at Northampton, Frederick. She was 96 years of age
The daughter of the late John and Agnes Delaney, she was born January 27, 1909, in Monticello. She was the widow of Harry Shiells.
After her husbands death, she moved to Frederick were she resided with her sister, Cornelia ONeill.
She is survived by a sister, Cornelia ONeill of Frederick, Md.; and three nephews, John ONeill and his wife, Kendra, and daughter, Marisol, all of Frederick, Md., Donald Shiells of Forestburgh, and James Shiells of Edgewood, Md.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, 106 East Church St., Frederick, Md.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Frederick County, Inc., P.O. Box 1799, Frederick, Md. 2102-1799.

Helen Speckhardt, 93
Ret. Bungalow Colony Oper.

Helen Speckhardt of South Fallsburg, a retired owner of Speckhardt Bungalow Colony which she ran after the death of her husband until 1994, died Monday, December 12, 2005, at her home. She was 93 years of age.
The daughter of the late Samuel and Anastasia Monchinuk Loiko, she was born February 28, 1912, in Russia. She was the widow of Henry C. Speckhardt.
She moved from Russia to Sullivan County when a young girl and met and married her husband on April 4, 1940.
Mrs. Speckhardt is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Henry and Loretta Speckhardt of South Fallsburg; a daughter and son-in-law, Claudia and Eddie Wallace of Highland; four grandchildren, Henry John, Michael, Laurelee and Henry; and three great-grandchildren, Ashley, Amanda and Henry III.
Friends may call at the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home in Woodbourne on Monday from 5 to 8 p.m.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home with Mother Joan Laliberté officiating.
Interment will be made in the Luna Organization Cemetery in Rock Hill.
Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties, 800 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, N.Y. 12550.

Georgette St. John
Ret. of Kolmar Labs, 87

Georgette Schnakenberg St. John of Elizabethtown, Pa., a retiree of Kolmar Labs and a former longtime Port Jervis resident, died Wednesday, December 7, 2005, at the Lancaster (Pa.) Regional Medical Center. She was 87 years of age.
The daughter of the late George and Sarah Purcell VanInwegen, she was born October 18, 1918, in Haven. She was the widower of Melvin Schnakenberg who died January 17, 1983, and also of Charles A. St. John who died January 29, 2005.
She is survived by five step-children, Phyllis Skok and her husband, James, of Camp Hill, Pa., Joyce Blunt of Plymouth Meeting, Pa., Janet Flynn and her husband, Joseph, of Lake City, Fla., and Jeffrey St. John and Charles St. John, both of Plymouth Meeting, Pa.; a daughter-in-law, Tammy Schnakenberg of Barryville; a sister, Emma Whitney of Dunedin, Fla.; eight grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by a son, George Schnakenberg who died March 26, 2002.
There will be no visitation.
A funeral service will be held in the spring at the Sparrowbush United Methodist Church, followed by burial in the Rural Valley Cemetery in Cuddebackville.

Lawrence Kernusky
Ret. Truck Driver, 64

Lawrence William Kernusky of Liberty, a former resident of Livingston Manor and a retired truck driver, died Saturday, December 10, 2005, at his home. He was 64 years of age.
The son of Josephine Alice Kernusky and the late Lawrence Gallagher, he was born June 22, 1941, in New York City.
Mr. Kernusky was a veteran of the United States Air Force.
He is survived by his mother, Josephine Condly of Liberty; a daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Mike Bibbo of Jeffersonville; a son, Matthew Hollenbeck of Jeffersonville; a granddaughter, Gwendolynn Hempstead; and two grandsons, Chance Bibbo and Shane Hollenbeck.
Services were held at the Herbert C. Bryant Funeral Home in Livingston Manor on Thursday with Msgr. William Collins officiating.
Burial was made the Sullivan County Veterans Cemetery in Liberty.
Carmine Lauria, 49
Carmine J. Lauria of Grahamsville, died Sunday, November 27, 2005. He was 49 years of age
In a family statement, it was said, Carmine was a beloved father, brother and friend.
He is survived by a daughter, Krystle; a son, Shane; a brother, Robert; a sister, Karen; and several nieces, nephews and many loving friends.
A Memorial Service was held at Ninas Ristorante in Loch Sheldrake Wednesday evening.